1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-voltage analog multiplexer circuit, and particularly to a RESURF (REduced SURface Field) EDMOS (Extended Drain MOS) transistor and a high-voltage analog multiplexer circuit using the same which are capable of reducing the number of required high-voltage elements and performung a stable operation, by realizing a bi-directional RESURF EDMOS element and including a high-voltage analog multiplexer having at least three inputs and a multistage high-voltage multiplexer circuit having a hierarchical structure.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
Generally, high-voltage elements include a DMOS (Double Diffused MOS) transistor, IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) whose gate is insulated, and a BT (Bipolar Transistor). An LDMOS (Lateral DMOS) transistor is used for high-voltage (10V to 500V) operation, which is compatible with the CMOS VLSI for low-voltage.
Among the LDMOS transistors for high-voltage, a RESURF LDMOS is developed as an element having excellent resistance characteristics for a determined chip size and capable of easily constructing the VLSI.
Referring to FIG. 2A, in the RESURF LDMOS transistor, n-type impurities are ion-implanted on a P-type silicon substrate, and form a drift region, i.e., an n-well region 4 via the diffusion process and a thick thermal oxide film, i.e., a field oxide film. Thereafter, a gate oxide film and a polysilicon gate electrode 6 are formed. After self-aligning with the polysilicon gate electrode 6, p-type impurities are ion-implanted, and a p-well 3 is formed via the diffusion process. Afterwards, using an n+ mask, nxe2x88x92 impurities are ion-implanted, and using a p+ mask, pxe2x88x92 impurities are ion-implanted. After depositing a silicon oxide film, an annealing is performed at a temperature between 850xc2x0 C. to 1000xc2x0 C. to alleviate damage generated during ion-implanting the n+ and p+ impurities. For electrical contacting of a source and a drain, the deposited silicon oxide film is etched using a contact mask, and a source contact terminal and a drain contact terminal are formed by depositing and etching a metal thin film.
However, as shown in FIG. 2B, the RESURF LDMOS transistor is only used as a low side driver. Particularly, as the RESURF LDMOS transistor is a mono-directional element whose source and drain are fixed, it is impossible to charge/discharge bidirectionally, and thereby it cannot be used as a push-pull type high-voltage analog multiplexer having at least three analog inputs.
Further, conventional high-voltage analog multiplexer circuits which output one input voltage of two analog input voltages include a transmission gate type, a pass transistor type and a push-pull type high-voltage analog multiplexer circuit.
First, the transmission gate type high-voltage analog multiplexer 10, as shown in FIG. 1A, includes a bi-directional high-voltage transmission gate 110 having one high-voltage NMOS transistor and one high-voltage PMOS transistor, for outputting an analog voltage out via a common node 112 in accordance with an externally inputted clock signal CK1; and a bi-directional high-voltage transmission gate 111 having one high-voltage NMOS transistor and one high-voltage PMOS transistor, for outputting an analog input voltage V2 via the common node 112 in accordance with an externally inputted clock signal CK2.
A pass transistor type high-voltage analog multiplexer having two inputs, as shown in FIG. 1B, includes a high-voltage NMOS transistor 113 having its source receiving the analog voltage V1, its gate receiving the clock signal CK1, and its drain connected to a common node 115; and a high-voltage NMOS transistor 114 having its source receiving the analog voltage V2, its gate receiving the clock signal CK2, and its drain connected to the common node 115.
Additionally, the push-pull type high-voltage analog multiplexer having two inputs, as shown in FIG. 1C, includes a high-voltage PMOS transistor 116 having its source receiving, the analog voltage V1, its gate receiving the clock signal CK1, and its drain connected to a common node 118; and a high-voltage NMOS transistor 117 having its source receiving the analog voltage V2, its gate receiving the clock signal CK2, and its drain connected to the common node 118.
The operation of the conventional high-voltage analog multiplexer having two inputs, having the above-described structure will be explained, with reference to the drawings.
First, when the analog voltages V1 and V2 are inputted to the transmission gates 110 and 111 of the transmission gate type high-voltage analog multiplexer 10, the transmission gate 110 or the transmission gate 111 is turned on in accordance with the inputted clock signals CK1 and CK2, and thereby the analog voltages V1 and V2 are selectively outputted to the common node 112.
Further, the pass transistor type high-voltage analog multiplexer, when the analog voltages V1 and V2 are respectively applied to the gates of the NMOS transistors 113 and 114, selectively outputs the analog voltages V1 and V2 to the common node 115 in accordance with the clock signals CK1 and CK2 inputted to the gates of the NMOS transistor 113 and 114, respectively.
On the other hand, when the analog voltages V1 and V2 are respectively inputted to the sources of the high-voltage PMOS transistor 116 and the high-voltage NMOS transistor 117, the push-pull type high-voltage analog multiplexer selectively outputs the analog voltages V1 and V2 to the common node 118 in accordance with the clock signals CK1 and CK2 respectively inputted to the gates of the mono-directional high-voltage PMOS transistor 116 and the mono-directional high-voltage NMOS transistor 117.
However, in the case of the high-voltage analog multiplexer having at least three analog inputs, there are problems in that the area required for overall layout is increased due to the increase in the number of element, and the oxide film of the gate should be made thick for preventing the breakdown of the gate because the voltage level of the inputted clock signals CK1 and CK2 should be similar to the voltage level of the input signals V1 and V2.
Further, for the pass transistor type analog multiplexer, in the case where the values of the analog voltages V1 and V2 are larger than the voltage level of the clock signals CK1 and CK2 applied at the respective gates of the high-voltage NMOS transistor 113 and 114, there is a disadvantage in that the analog voltages V1 and V2 are not transmitted to the output terminal. When constructing the pass transistor type high-voltage analog rmultiplexer using two (2) mono-directional high-voltage RESURF LDMOS transistors, the source terminals of the RESURF LDMOS transistors should endure high voltages.
Additionally, in the case of constructing the push-pull type high-voltage analog multiplexer having three inputs by using the mono-directional high-voltage RESURF LDMOS transistors, one high-voltage PMOS transistor and two (2) high-voltage NMOS transistors are required. And, to normally operate the circuit, the voltage level inputted at the sources of the two NMOS transistors should be made lower than the respective clock signals of high level applied at the gates of the transistors.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bi-directional high-voltage RESURF EDMOS transistor which is capable of enduring a high voltage at its source terminal, by providing drift regions at both sides, i.e., the source and drain of the conventional RESURF LDMOS transistor, and exchanging the drain and source when an analog signal of high-voltage is inputted.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high-voltage analog multiplexer circuit employing a RESURF EDMOS transistor which is capable of reducing the number of required high-voltage elements and performing a stable operation, by constructing a high-voltage analog multiplexer having at least three inputs and a multistage high-voltage multiplexer circuit of push-pull type, pass transistor type, and combined form of push-pull type and pass transistor type by using the bi-directional high-voltage RESURF EDMOS transistor.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, the high-voltage analog multiplexer circuit includes a high-voltage NMOS transistor and a high-voltage PMOS transistor. First, the high-voltage NMOS transistor includes a channel region 9 having a P-well region 7 being formed by diffusing P-type impurities on a P-type silicon substrate and a polysilicon gate 23 connected to a gate contact terminal 24 via a gate oxide film 22 provided on the surface of the P-well region 7; a source region 10 having a P+ doping region 16 connected with the P+ body contact terminal 17 between field oxide films 12 and 13 within the P-well region 7, an N+ doping region 15 connected to a source/drain contact terminal 19 between field oxide films 13 and 14, and a drift region 21 formed between an N+ doping region 15 and the channel region 9; and a drain region 11 having a P+ doping region 16 connected with P+ body contact terminal 17 between the field oxide films 12 and 13, an N+ doping region 15 connected with a drain/source contact terminal 20 between the field oxide films 13 and 14, and a drift region 21 formed between the N+ doping region 15 and the channel region 9.
On the other hand, the high-voltage PMOS transistor includes a channel region 9 having an N-well region 8 being formed by diffusing N-type impurities on an N-type silicon substrate and a polysilicon gate 18 connected to a gate contact terminal 24 via a gate oxide film 22 provided on the surface of the N-well region 8; a source region 10 having an N+ doping region 15 connected with an N+ body contact terminal 18 between field oxide films 12 and 13 within the N-well region 8, a P+ doping region 16 connected with a source/drain contact terminal 19 between field oxide films 13 and 14, and a drift region 21 formed between the P+ doping region 16 and the channel region 9; and a drain region 11 having an N+ doping region 15 connected with N+ body contact terminal 18 between the field oxide films 12 and 13, an P+ doping region 16 connected with a drain/source contact terminal 20 between field oxide films 13 and 14, and a drift region 21 formed between the P+ doping region 16 and the channel region 9.
In the high-voltage analog multiplexer having at least three inputs according to the present invention, a transistor which receives a signal of highest level among the input signals employs a mono-directional high-voltage PMOS transistor, and a transistor which receives a signal of lowest level among the input signals employs a mono-directional high-voltage NMOS transistor. And, a transistor which receives the remaining input signals employs a bi-directional high-voltage NMOS transistor and a bi-directional high-voltage PNOS transistor, thereby constructing high-voltage multiplexers of push-pull type, pass transistor type, and a combined form of push-pull type and pass transistor type.
In the case where multiple high-voltage analog multiplexers are required such as in an LSI for driving a display, the present invention includes a common multiplexer for selectively outputting the inputted analog voltages in accordance with the clock signals applied at its gate; and a multiplexer array unit for receiving an output of the common multiplexer via a third common source line and other analog voltages via first and second common source lines, and for selectively outputting one analog voltage in accordance with externally inputted clock signals.